Privacy Policy

Combe Incorporated (“Combe”), the operator of this and related websites, is dedicated to the protection of privacy on the Internet. This Privacy Statement for the United States describes the manner in which information is sometimes collected and used by Combe, and the means by which website visitors can have certain information deleted from Combe’s records and systems. We greatly respect the privacy of our online website visitors. That privacy can be maintained through adherence to the principles set forth in this document and our adherence to U.S. / EU Safe Harbor principles. Please read through this Privacy Statement carefully so that you are fully aware of your rights and ours.
What we collect

We collect information on or through our websites that can personally identify you but this will only occur when such information is voluntarily offered by you. In short, when you visit our websites or interactive advertisements, we will not collect any personal information about you (such as your name, home address, telephone number, e-mail address, or credit card information) unless you provide it to us voluntarily. If you decide not to provide us with personal information, you can still access our websites but you may be unable to participate in certain things, or receive product information offered through our websites or interactive advertisements.

Our websites sometimes include information about contests, sweepstakes, and other promotions that we are offering individually or jointly with one or more other parties, and we may allow you to enter electronically in some cases. If that occurs, we will use the information you provide for the purpose of conducting the event (for example, to notify you if you have won) and, when we have your consent, to offer you products and services of Combe and our joint event sponsors. In addition, we may also collect demographic and other data for advertising, promotion, and market research purposes.

At some of our websites you can request product samples, vote in polls, express an opinion, subscribe to one of our newsletters, or participate in one of our online forums. These programs require you to submit some information in order to participate. Combe may occasionally ask visitors to complete opinion polls or surveys to assess consumer interests, needs, and attitudes. Surveys help us provide better products and services that meet customer needs. Participation is completely voluntary and these surveys are optional.

If you provide our consumer service representatives with feedback on your experiences with our products or otherwise submit questions to our consumer service representatives, you will be asked to supply personal information for purposes of record-keeping and response.

Combe may also collect certain aggregate data often referred to as “web log information” (such as data regarding your web browser, operating system, pages visited, and so forth) and we may use cookies when you visit many of our website pages. For instance, when you visit one of our websites, our web server will automatically recognize some non-personal information, such as the date and time you visited our website, the pages you visited, the referrer (that is, the website you came from), the type of browser you are using, the type of operating system you are using, and the domain name and address of your Internet service provider. Importantly, our cookies do not collect or contain personal information such as your name or e-mail address.

In the situations described above, we may also enhance or merge your personal information with data obtained from third parties for the same purposes.

Combe works with various search entities to research certain usage and activities on our websites on our behalf. These entities use web beacons to conduct this research. The information collected through these web beacons is used to find out more about our users, including user demographics and usage patterns, for more accurate reporting and to improve the effectiveness of our marketing. Information recorded through the use of these web beacons is aggregated and then shared with us. No personally identifiable information about you is shared by these entities with Combe as a result of this research. If you prefer that these entities not record information by means of these web beacons on the Combe websites, please advise Combe Incorporated.

Aside from personal information, there will be occasions in which we may also collect information about you that you voluntarily submit and which is not personal, such as general statistical information like age, gender, zip/postal code, household size, interest, and preferences. Additionally, data which is not personal, including feedback, questions, comments, ideas and suggestions shall be deemed to be non-confidential, and Combe will be free to disclose and use such data for any purpose and through any means without any obligation whatsoever towards you. Please read our accompanying User Agreement for further information in this regard.

Our web server collects the domain names (but not the e-mail addresses) of visitors to our websites. The information is sometimes aggregated to measure the number of visits, average time spent on visits, pages reviewed, and so forth. Combe utilizes this type of information to measure the use of our websites and periodically to improve their content.

Why we collect personal information

Our principal goal in collecting personal information from you is to give us an opportunity to interact with you during and after your visit to our websites and interactive banner advertisements, and to allow us to develop new products and services that are more responsive to your needs and desires. Combe collects personally identifiable information to respond to visitor questions and comments about Combe, its products and services, and other products of interest, to send e-mail newsletters, and to contact winners of sweepstakes, contests and promotions. Personal information also allows us to provide online services and features that are more likely to meet your expectations, and to customize our services to make your online experience smooth, efficient, and enjoyable. Combe occasionally sends e-mail messages (describing new products, promotions or events) to visitors who have agreed to receive such mailings. These mailings are optional and you may opt-out of these mailings completely at any time.

About security and storage

Combe has taken measures to keep all information from our online visitors as secure as possible against any unauthorized access or use. All information is protected by standard security measures that are periodically reviewed. Combe and its affiliated companies are part of a multinational organization. Your personal information will generally be stored in our databases, which are located in various jurisdictions including the United States and the European Union. For easier processing of e-mail campaigns or other marketing purposes, your personal information may be sent, usually on a temporary basis, to countries outside the United States or the European Union. Combe data protection standards are the same, regardless of where your personal information is stored. Further, we will only store your personal information for a reasonable period of time.

Sharing your information

As stated above, your information may be transferred to one or more of our affiliated companies in other countries and regions of the world. Except for the situations described herein, we do not sell or transfer personal information to third parties outside of our global organization.

Occasionally, we may share personal information from you (such as name, mailing address, and e-mail address) with vendors, contractors, agents, or partners of Combe in connection with services that these individuals or entities perform for or with Combe. These vendors, contractors, agents, or partners are restricted from using this data in any way other than to provide services for Combe, and they may not share or resell this data. The services they provide for Combe include mailing product samples, or contacting winners of Combe sweepstakes, contests, and promotions. Additionally, we may share your information with vendors that we have hired to send you the offers you requested or about which you have expressed interest. Except in those instances, we do not share, trade, or sell information about you with other marketers without your permission. We will share your information with third parties who are unaffiliated with Combe in those instances in which we obtain your consent.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, we want you to understand that we reserve the right to share personal information with duly authorized governmental authorities where required by law or in other related situations where we believe that such sharing is reasonable and appropriate.

Sharing our information

Occasionally, visitors will have the opportunity to forward product sampling prospects or other information on a Combe website to friends or relatives or to send messages from our websites or interactive advertisements to friends or relatives. The personal referral information you provide to facilitate this communication is used on a one-time basis or stored only for analysis purposes, and it is not further used by Combe to re-contact referred individuals, except in circumstances where we obtain consent from the people you have referred to receive communications from us.

What you can do

You are in control of the personal information you provide to Combe online. You can:

Ask for a copy of your personal information.

Ask for your personal information to be corrected or updated.

Ask us to remove your personal information from our records.

If you have communicated with us electronically, and wish to do any of the preceding, please contact us electronically or write to us at:

Combe Incorporated
1101 Westchester Ave.
White Plains, New York 10604
Please give us your full name and telephone number in case we have questions. We will use diligent efforts to fulfill your request on a timely basis.

Conclusion

As evidenced by this Privacy Statement, we believe that the interactive media can coexist with the fundamentals of privacy, and we will continue our efforts to ensure that that coexistence is harmonious.

Thank you for your visit. We hope you enjoy your stay.

(This Privacy Statement was most recently amended on May 27, 2008. If you read a previous version, please take the time to re-read this revised document at this time. )